What is left that can rattle ?

'83 gti.

I have a rattle that seems to be from the steering column somewhere.

I had replaced arb bushes, wishbones & new wishbone bushes, new balljoints, new shocks, springs, topmounts & collars.

Bumps, potholes, small kerbs, etc could be felt very much through the steering wheel.
Had it in a local garage who replaced the balljoints again, and put new ties rods & new tierod ends on (I gave up !) and they also put new balljoints in as they thought there was some play in the recent ones.

I had also gave them new vag steering rack bushes & brackets, but they reckoned they did not need replacing as there was no play in the old ones at all.

They thought the ride height was way too high, and at full shock extension, the drive shaft would hit the subframe. They showed me the amrk on the driveshaft where it was rubbing, but that could simply have been when it was on axle stands and I had turned the disc. i.e. not a deep grove worn into the driveshaft, just a slight mark where the dirt was worn off it.

I got the gsf -20mm springs & replaced topmounts & collars again.

It is much improved, but a bad bump will still give a rattle from the steering column & you can feel it very much through the wheel.

There's not much left untouched apart from the rack itself, or is there ?

Is there some bushing/bearing in the steering column between the lock  mounting which is nice & tight & the UJ at the rack itself ?

One other thing may be related, when I haven't braked for a while, the very first tlight touch of the brakes will vibrate the steering wheel very slightly. Have new discs & pads about 500 miles ago. Could one of these be warped or something ?

Suggestions ?

Ive just done this to mine.

Replaced the top ignition housing and bottom bushes, now theres no up/down rattle in the steering.


http://www.vwgolfmk1.o…0&postorder=asc&start=280

^^^^check out carbs4evers build, about half way down the page.^^^^^

I don't have any up/down (in/out) movement at the wheel & the top bushing seemed perfect when I have it off to replace the ignition switch.

I guess there is a lower bearing.bushing of some sort in the column ?

Off to have a look at vagcat & see what I can find out.

Cheers.

No' 10 by the looks of that on vagcat.

Have you had a look at the track rod ends? That seems to be the only component you've not changed in the front suspension setup.

HTH

Rich

Yes, new track rod ends went on 2 weeks ago when I got the complete track rods (tie rods ?) from the rack out changed.

has to be either the UJ at the rack, internal to the rack, or mabye that lower bearing in the steering column  :dontknow:

there is a "needle bearing" in the bottom of the column

As reg said there is a bearing and bush between the ignition and the steering wheel, its dead easy to get to so may as well check it, (just unscrew your steering wheel, 24mm socket.) I recently replaced my steering column and the old bush was worn bad and with my new one on there is no rattle or play in the steering at all. :wink: